While Some May Fall, Others Are Pushed
by Niamh Muiren
Summary: A tiny smile, a ghost of a smile, appeared on the terrifyingly red lips of his love, and he realized how unnaturally small she looked...


"_Remus!" _

The scream tore at his heart, but as much as his heart ached and begged him to turn, his brain refused.

He was face-to-face with Dolohov, and his strategic mind refused to let him turn, to make himself vulnerable. It was only pure fear that kept him fighting.

Then, without warning, a jet of red light ricocheted off a wall, hitting in the small of his back.

Before dropping into unconsciousness, however, he shouted a spell at Dolohov. He heard the _fump_ as his opponent fell beside him, then all went black.

_Cough._

Remus blinked, cueing his consciousness to return. The provocative stir in the back of his mind was inevitable, and he found himself being forced to obey his body's will of sitting up.

Before he could complete his action, however, a wave of dizziness washed over him, and his vision blurred, and he could see tiny spots of gold and black just behind his eyes.

And his ability to hear rushed forward, and he heard the fight still going on, screams still filling his ears. Harry rushed past him, his eyes passing over the exact spot where Remus lay, but not noticing. For a moment, Remus somehow found himself wondering exactly why Harry had not noticed him, and why he was in such a hurry, and just what was going on.

And then the realization of what had happened hit him.

It really was like a smack in the face, but more painful.

His chest felt tight, but he forced himself to stand, to face the truth. Fear gouged at his heart, which seemed to have fallen into his gut. It felt like something was in all literality slashing at his mind, and it only increased when he turned round, and saw exactly what he feared the most, and the pain was threatening to force him to double over. But he stood, petrified.

"_Remus…"_

The voice was faint, small, and meager. And familiar.

"Tonks..." Remus hastened toward her, stumbling, and he soon found himself kneeling across her small, bent figure. He could feel tears coming on, his throat constricting with the effort not to sob.

"_Tonks…_" he repeated, but this time it came out in a strangely strangled voice that did not seem like his, as if he was hearing an old recording of himself on an ancient record player that was in bad need of cleaning.

A tiny smile, a ghost of a smile, appeared on the terrifyingly red lips of his friend, and he realized how unnaturally small she looked. And how sad.

And how crushed.

There was a large gash across her frighteningly pale cheek, and the terrifyingly red blood was splattered all across her face, and somehow Remus doubted it was all hers. Or at least, he hoped it wasn't. Her left wrist – her wand arm, he remembered regretfully - was bent at an odd angle. More blood was slowly seeping through the hem of her robes.

"_Remus…?" _the weakness in her voice frightened him.

"D-don't worry, I'm here, I'm here…" said Remus. He watched as she slowly – so painfully slow – pushed herself up against the wall. He did his best to help her up, wishing that somehow he could relieve her pain, and his own…

"Remus…" her eyes fluttered. "Remus, I'm sorry…"

"No, no you shouldn't be…" his voice didn't come easy, but he forced himself to speak. For her sake, at least.

"Remus, I just w-want you to know th-that I l-l-love you…"

His eyes filled with tears. He could not stop them, and when he spoke, he spoke with nothing but tenderness.

"I know, you don't have to tell me, honest…"

Now it was Tonks who was crying. Tears were streaming down her face, without any signs of stopping. They left long, thick tracks on her grimy face.

"B-but Remus, wh-what ab-b-bout Teddy?" she winced as he held her.

And Remus didn't know what to say.

Tonks suddenly loosened her grip on his shoulder, and he was so surprised he almost dropped her.

"N-no… Nymphadora…" his voice cracked as he lowered her to the rubble covered ground. He brushed dust and rocks away from her as he set her down, for what he feared may be the last time.

Tonks somehow forced a half-smile through her tears.

"D-don't call me Nymphadora…"

And with that, he eyes fluttered for the last time, tears still clinging to them, and her hand slipped from his as her body went completely limp…

Battle raged onwards around them, but neither paid attention… and nor were they able to.


End file.
